OUR VIEW: Federal stimulus money to buy buses and request for another stimulus grant for downtown transit are true bargains for Birmingham

For a region in which too many politicians view swine flu more favorably than transit funding, the price is right for 17 new transit buses. It won't cost local government a cent.

Last week, the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority got word it will get $8.7 million in federal stimulus money to buy the much-needed buses. Since it's from the federal stimulus program approved by Congress earlier this year, the BJCTA doesn't have to put in matching dollars, as is usually the case with federal transportation funding.

The BJCTA applied for the funding in April, and transit officials expect the buses to be rolling in Birmingham within 18 months. What a deal for the Birmingham area.

NEWS FILE

The new buses are badly needed. The BJCTA's fleet of about 80 buses is old and plagued by breakdowns. That means bus service which is too limited -- too few routes, too long wait, too many unserved areas -- is also undependable.

The new buses should improve the reliability of bus service. It's hard to get more people to ride when there's a good chance their bus will break down and not get them where they need to be -- work, school, a doctor's appointment, etc. -- on time.

But the goal also needs to be to expand and improve bus service by adding bus routes, extending service hours and reducing the wait time between buses. Transit authority officials should continue to look for funding to pay for the increased services.

Meanwhile, local officials also are trying for an even bigger bite of Uncle Sam's stimulus money. The Birmingham Regional Planning Commission is applying for a federal grant of $65 million to get the In-Town Transit Partnership up and going. The money would be used to buy 32 buses, including 12 electric or "environmentally friendly" buses for downtown, and a new maintenance facility for the vehicles.

The ITP could help transform the image of public transit in Birmingham by being, as supporters say, the centerpiece of a regional transit system.

The electric buses will run in 10-minute intervals on downtown streets between the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex and Five Points South. Smaller connector buses will link surrounding residential neighborhoods, such as Arlington-West End, Smithfield, Fountain Heights, Southside and Forest Park.

It's a system that can be easily built on, putting rapid transit within easy reach of more people and eventually extending into the suburbs. But it all starts downtown.

It's the kind of bus project the Birmingham region badly needs. Regional Planning Commission officials believe they have a good chance of getting the federal grant because the Federal Transit Authority already has approved the commission's environmental document, and it's the first group in the Southeast region to have a project ready to go. Recall the emphasis on stimulus projects that are "shovel-ready." The BJCTA board passed a resolution Thursday supporting the ITP.

Together, the awarding of federal money to the BJCTA to buy new buses and the possibility of more money to launch a downtown rapid transit system are a giant boost for public transportation. The result could be greatly improved service for weary current bus riders as well as potential new riders.

And the price is right, too.

BUYING BUSES

Almost $9 million in federal stimulus money will buy 17 new buses for the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority. Also, the Birmingham Regional Planning Commission is seeking $65 million more in a federal grant that could bring 32 more buses. Here's what that money would buy:

BJCTA: Twelve 31-foot-long buses and five 40-foot-long buses for the regular bus fleet

In-Town Transit Partnership: Twelve electric buses and 20 smaller buses to be used as connectors from Birmingham neighborhoods to downtown.